BOWEL CANCER: DO YOU KNOW THE SCORE?

30 April 2017

This April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month and players and managers are supporting the sixth annual Know the Score campaign

Bowel cancer is the UK’s fourth most common cancer, with 41,000 new cases each year. It’s also the second biggest cause of cancer death. Every 90 minutes three people die of the disease. That’s 44 people each day - the equivalent to four football teams - but it needn’t be that way.

If you’ve had bleeding from your bottom, blood in your poo or suffered a persistent change in bowel habit that has lasted three weeks or more, especially if you’ve been going to the toilet more often or experiencing unexplained looser stools, tell your doctor. Other symptoms include: a pain or lump in your stomach; feeling extremely tired for no obvious reason; unexplained weight loss.

You’re not wasting anyone’s time by getting it checked out. If it’s not serious, your mind will be eased, but if it is bowel cancer, we know that when it’s diagnosed at the earliest stage, more than 9 in 10 people will survive their disease for five years or more, compared with less than 1 in 10 people when diagnosed at the latest stage. A trip to your doctor could save your life.

Darrell Clarke said: “Bowel cancer can affect anyone at any age so it's really important everyone is aware of the symptoms as early as possible.”

Throughout football ‘Star of Hope’ badges are being worn during the campaign, which is supported by the Professional Footballers’ Association, League Managers Association, the Men’s Health Forum and leading bowel cancer charities.